‘The galany? battlefields are punctuated with monolithic strongholds that reach towards the heavens. These fortifications ste monuments to the unyielding ature of siege warfare. Many have endured centuries of unrelenting battle, Some have withstood more than ten mallennia of grinding was, sheltering troops as they unleash ther fury against the foe. Built nto the grandest bastions are weapons of such terrible magnitude ‘hat they can annihilate abatleship in lov orbit. Such structeres form, the beating hearts of defence lines and trench networks that protect and connect whole webworks of bunkers and redoubts From sprawling greenskin scraplots the size of cies to Imperial fortrese world that watch over entice regions of epace, there bastions are at varied ae they are numerous. Some, sch as nightmarish Medzengard, proud Solaxis o lost and lamented Cada, axe names known the length and breadth ofthe galary. Others ~ like CCatachaa with it living bulwarks of carnivorous jungle, or Fenris, home ta the mighty Fang ~ ae famed for ‘heir more unconventional defences ‘et even the most formidable series of fortifications are naught but walls and barricades without a garrison to defend them, Only when soldiers ‘man battlements and operate weapon systems is a fortress true efensive potential realised. A single equad of wartiors can prove {hemselves the equal of hundreds when occupying a bunker, pouring Srepower into their enemic with impunity, safe from all but the most punishing retaliation. Ikisno surprise, then, thatthe key to victory in any theatre of wari often to seize control of fs fortications, Commanding such assets allows supply lines to be safeguarded, entire regions to be denied tothe foe, and massive enemy offensives tobe weathered agains the odd. So precious ae these fortified networks that ‘commanders will spend countless lives to weet them from thet foes In such adark ea, the death tall required for vitory is rarely a consideration, however Determined to succeed, commanders hurl their warriors against the enemys walls and guns sn their hundreds. Sappers and demolition experts charge forwards, pelting through bail of fire to sap explosive charges onto bulkheads and hatches, Artllery pieces and battle tanks clevate ther barele and spit their shells in looping rcs to come crashing dovm pon, semoured structures until they tumble in flaming ruin. Aircraft sweep overhead, raining bombs ‘upon trenches and rampart to fll, ‘hem with fie Many commanders also have access to more insidious or 1c weapons of sioge warfare, ‘Tunnelling warheads churn {rough bedrock to detonate amidst reinforced foundations. Poveerful paykers flay the defenders’ minds fortress walls no protection against the razored talons ofthe warp, Xenos warrior constructs phase fou of synch with reality, passing {through bunker doors and bulwarks like ghosts before slidfying agnin towreak havoc within. Towering monsters and abhorrent daemone rampage forward, shrugging off TRONGHOLD ASSAULT In games of Stronghold Assault, two forces vie for control ofa fortified war zone. Players take specific roles - one is the Attacker, determined to capture or destroy their foes vital bastions, and the other is the Defender, who must dig in behind the fortress walls and repel the invaders with overwhelming firepower. the defenders fire before tearing down their etrongholde with sheet brute force, For allthis devastation and horror, the vitor in such grinding siege warfare are most often those with willpower to prevail. Such, heroes overcome thet foes no ‘matter the cost, and survive to raise thei colours over fartifieations strewn with the mangled remains of the enemy dead The rules onthe pages that fllow sive you everything you need to play your own Stronghold Assault games. Taking the roles of Attacker and Defender, you can play out Your oven exiting narratives, or even link together several games to depict the key moments in the besiegement of a lager fortress, You can even play out a campaign of planetary invasion by combining a series of Planetstrike missions (pg 36-41) with those from this section to determine the fate ofan entire planet, From the moment ‘enemy ships appea in orbit to the espera battles inthe esis, rom the intial surge ofthe attacking forces to the courageous last stand ofthe defenders behind their walls, sich a campaign follows an fnvasion through from inception to ¢lorious victory or bloody defeatPLAYING STRONGHOLD ASSAULT Stronghold Assault isan expansion that incorporates siege-themed missions into Wathammer 40,000, In these raisons, one player takes the role of the Atacker, and ‘heir opponent the Defender. Asa result the missions presented in this expansion are designed primarily for narrative play, telling the story of fortress under siege, Stronghold Assault missions supplement the Warhammer 4,000 core rules with addtional abies, Warlord Traits, Suatagems and Detachments that help to better reflect the forces and tactics deployed by armies during euch battle, These additional rles are described below. STRONGHOLD ASSAULT MISSIONS Ifyou wish to ply a Stronghold Assault bate, you should fist select a mission from the table below. Alternatively, you can roll to randomly sleet which risen you will pay BOSS DG MISSION 1 Breakthrough 2 Bunker Assault 3 all-out Attack 4 Crosstire 5 The Big Push © LastStand STRONGHOLD ASSAULT ARMIES “The players choose who isthe Attacker and who isthe Defender, then each selects a Batle-forged army, The Defende’s army must include a least one Fortification Network Detachment or one Stronghold Assault Defender Detachment (pg 46), Atleast one of ‘he Defenders Fortifications must bea BUILDING (98 57-63). The Attackers army must include atleast one Stronghold Assault Attacker Detachment (pg 46), and the Power Level ofthe Attackers army should be sore than the Defender’. ‘As with any game that pte players in diferent roles, ‘we recommend replaying these missions, but switching the Attacker and Defender around to give both the opportunity to test outa diferent set of tates, Designer's Note: Inthe Breakthrough and Crosfire tnisions the Attacker mus atempt fo move off the Defender’ bated edge. We ind that these missions are more rewarding with ground-based armies that contain few ifany, units that can BLY. STRONGHOLD ASSAULT ABILITIES Stronghold Assauk mission uze the following sudditional rules Big Guns Never Tire ‘The invaders have brought along ther heaviest ordnance to level the defences ofthe foe. ‘The Attackers models ean move and shoot Heavy ‘weapons without incurring the -1 penalty to their hit rolls, bt oly when targeting a BUILDING. Demolitions “The attacking troops are equipped with demolition tools and explosive charges to breach the enemy’ defences ach time the Attacker makes a wound toll of 6+ for a model attacking a BUILDING in the Fight phase, the building sullers a mortal wound in addition to any other damage Hold at All Costs “The defenders’ courage is tele by the protection offered by their fortifications and trenches. “The Defender adds 1 tothe Leadership characteristic oftheir units whilst they are within 6" of a Fortification from their army. Deadly Defences ‘The fortifications on ths world areal connected toa planetary defence auger tha guides her automated fir. ‘The Defender can add 1 to hit rolle made for BUILDINGS in their army in the Shooting phase Captured Fortification ‘An undefended stronghold isan ase for the attackers capture and turn upon the foe At the start of most Stronghold Assault missions, Fortifications are snder the control ofthe Defender. However, the Attacker can capture any unoccupied BUILDING in their Movement phate ill the models im one of their INFANIRY units ends their move Within 3° ofthat building. Ifthey do so, the building immediately comes under their control and the unit ‘must, ifable to do so, embark inside to garrison it (note that chey must stil obey all he normal restrictions listed on that building’ datasheet), Buildings an potentially, exchange hands several times over the course of the bate. Note that only buildings with the TRANSPORT keyword can be captured in this manner ~ other Fortifications ae flly automated or have no interior to capture and gorricon.WARLORD TRAITS AND DETAGHMENTS Ifyou are playing a Stronghold Assault mission, you can use the following Warlord Traits and | __Detachments when choosing your army, depending on whether you are the Attacker or the Defender, ‘ BSTC BSS esa ® OTE CETTE they declare a charge agsinst a BUILDING, Fortress Destroyer You can r-rll wound rolls of 1 for friendly ‘nts that ae within 6” of your Wadlord when they target a BUILDING. ‘Stronghold Assault Attacker You have one bonus Command Point ~ this can only be spent on a Stronghold ‘Assault Stratagem, a ie Cys yO & iter Fu Atack Hear Support 03 WARLORD TRAIT Siege Breaker You can re-ol filed charge roll for ftendly You can re-rll fled hit ells for friendly units ‘units that are within 6” of your Warlord when 1 within 6” of your Warlord (this includes any BUILDING they are embarked within, and any other units embarked within the same building) Fortress Commander your Warlord is embarked within a BUILDING, roll a dice each time that building loses a wound: on a 6+, the building does not lose a wound. Stronghold Assault Defender ‘You have one bone Command Point — ‘this can only be spent ona Stronghold Assault Stratagem STRONGHOLD ASSAULT ATTACKER DETACHMENT = 990000 cata tay Sepet STRONGHOLD ASSAULT DEFENDER DETACHMENT